Home
by autumn-leaf16
Summary: Based on the game "Kagami no miko", this one shot explains how Mariko choose to stay with Shigi.


The mirror would grant her one single wish and even though everyone told Mariko that she could make her own wish, she knew that everyone had their own secret wish they would like her to make. Most of all, she was the only one who could stop this new timeline from being erased. If the timeline was erased then it would be that the cult never appeared, so the priestess of Genbu would never end up being here.

It would be as if everything that happened never did.

Takiko would never be here and never knew these people, and meetings between the other celestial warriors would only happen much later.

"…I am so sorry, Takiko-chan." She whispered. "I am not brave as you! I am not brave at all! I can't face the possibility of being alone."

"Mariko, what are you talking about?" Takumi hissed sharply. "I thought you decided that…"

"I am so sorry but I can't do this! I am selfish, I know!" she sobbed out, now crying, 'But I can't do this! I can't!"

Clutching to the mirror, she ran past them to kneel in front of the altar, her back now facing the others. Partly because she was addressing the strange force there, but partly because she could not bear to see their expressions.

"Please! Let me remain with him…with Shigi. That…that is all I want…"

Did they condemn her? Did they resent her? She decided to be selfish by choosing the path that would only make her happy. Luckily, she was prevented from hearing anything.

"I am so sorry." She whispered again.

She knew that she was alone when the quietness behind her became an emptiness. She was crying and she thought that it was hypocritical as she was the one who built her happiness by robbing what was of important to the others: their memories of one another.

But no one else would understand- they didn't know what really happened between her and Shigi as they thought he was just protecting her due to the possibility of her being the priestess of Seiryuu.

Perhaps that was what happened, but she herself…

"I am in love with him."

Taking a deep breath, she stepped out.

The truth was that she had no idea what she was going to do, but she didn't have any choices. The bridge had been burnt so she could only step forward, to make her place in this world.

* * *

Much to her surprise, she saw Shigi running toward her when she stepped out of the cave.

"What happened?" even tough his words were still very formal and courteous, she could tell that he was worried.

"I made my wish. However, it is not a wish that help Takiko-chan or Hokkan. My wish is to remain with you." She stated bluntly.

"You…did not go back?" Shigi finally asked after a long pause.

"I cannot go back now." she replied steadily.

"You are a really strange person- I do not think I can ever understand you." Shigi said before he actually stretched out his hand to her. "You cannot survive on your own, so come with me."

"Aren't you going to ask me anything?" Mariko pointed out as she placed her hand in his.

"I do not need to." He said. "Your actions explained it. Mariko…this is the only time that I will say this: but I am glad that you are beside me."

Mariko smiled at this- even though she knew that her life would be difficult and there would be times when she questioned whether her actions were right, she was sure that she would not regret it.

It was true that she abandoned her home for Shigi, but this was because she wished to have a home with him.

* * *

_**Author's Note:**_ _The idea is that the cult- the fifth god actually created a new time line and after the cult leader is destroyed, this time line would be erased so everything would be the way that it was before. Mariko then has the ability to make a wish that can prevent this from happening, but because she did not, it is as if Takiko never came to this world so the meeting that already took place would not take place until much later. My idea is that the fifth god actually appeared before the events in Genbu Kaiden and Takiko actually came here due to this. However, when the fifth god is destroyed, it is as if he has never existed, so because of that the events that caused everyone to be here would never happen, the others would not have a memory of this. However, Mariko and Shigi would remember due to this being her wish._

_Initially, this one shot was actually meant to be Takiko discovering that Mariko is from the other world with Mariko assuring Shigi that she does not regret her actions. One scene that I wanted to include, but didn't get to do is Mariko going to Shura's grave and then Shigi come._


End file.
